Nigeria has expanded its African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) implementation strategy through a new air cargo partnership with RwandAir aimed at improving export connectivity between West, East and Southern Africa.
The partnership, announced by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment during Africa Day 2026 celebrations, will extend Nigeria’s existing Nigeria–East and Southern Africa Air Cargo Corridor to new destinations including Kigali, Harare and Lusaka.
The move is expected to reduce logistics costs for Nigerian exporters while improving market access across key African trade corridors under the AfCFTA framework.
Before the initiative was launched, Nigerian exporters faced air cargo costs ranging between US$3 and US$10 per kilogram when shipping goods to East and Southern African markets, significantly reducing the competitiveness of Nigerian products across the continent.
The ministry said the new RwandAir partnership will lower cargo costs to below US$2 per kilogram across all five destinations covered under the expanded corridor.
The latest agreement builds on the initial Nigeria–East and Southern Africa Air Cargo Corridor launched in 2025 through a partnership with Uganda Airlines.
That arrangement introduced heavily discounted cargo rates for Nigerian exports moving to Entebbe, Nairobi and Johannesburg, with exporters receiving tiered rebates of up to 70% compared with standard commercial cargo rates.
Under the expanded framework, RwandAir will provide exporters with additional cargo options on existing Nairobi and Johannesburg routes while opening direct access to Kigali in Rwanda, Harare in Zimbabwe and Lusaka in Zambia.
The partnership is scheduled to be formally launched next month.
Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, said the initiative demonstrates the government’s broader strategy to ensure AfCFTA delivers practical benefits for businesses rather than remaining a policy framework on paper.
According to the ministry, Nigeria’s non-oil exports to African markets increased from US$150 million in 2024 to US$207 million in 2025, supported partly by efforts to improve trade logistics and lower export barriers.
The government views improved air cargo connectivity as essential for expanding trade in high-value and time-sensitive products including agricultural produce, processed foods, pharmaceuticals, fashion products and manufactured goods.
Industry stakeholders say logistics costs remain one of the biggest obstacles limiting intra-African trade despite the launch of AfCFTA.
Limited direct transport links, fragmented customs systems and high freight costs have historically made it easier for many African countries to trade with overseas markets than with neighbouring economies.
The new cargo corridor forms part of Nigeria’s broader push to strengthen regional trade integration, diversify exports beyond oil and improve the competitiveness of locally manufactured products across African markets.
Analysts believe expanded logistics corridors could significantly benefit small and medium-sized enterprises by reducing export costs and improving delivery times to key regional markets.
The partnership also reflects growing momentum behind AfCFTA implementation as African governments increasingly prioritise infrastructure, logistics and trade facilitation projects aimed at unlocking intra-African commerce.
The African Continental Free Trade Area is expected to become the world’s largest free trade area by number of participating countries, with the potential to reshape supply chains, boost industrialisation and strengthen regional value chains across the continent.
For Nigerian exporters, the expanded air cargo corridor is expected to improve access to fast-growing consumer markets in East and Southern Africa while supporting broader efforts to position Nigeria as a major regional export and manufacturing hub.